Railway-car construction



w. P. MURPHY 1,773,403 RAILWAY CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed DeG- 7, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 19, 1930.

ug'. 19, 1930. w. P. MURPHY RAILWAY CAR CONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 //f\ Filed Dec. 7, 1928 Aug. 19, 1930.

w. P. MURPHY RAILWAY CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed DECv '7, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 but not in sufficient quantities Patented Aug. 19,

. WALTER P. MURPHY-,10F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS RAILWAY-GAR CONSTRUCTION Application filed December 7, 1928. Serial No. 324,425.

The invention relates to railway freight cars,- and particularly,

to that class of equlpment which is provided with roofs, called house cars.

The large and increasing use of automobiles has created a necessity for freight cars having a greater inside vertical clear height,

or what is known as, Such cars are 1n large the smaller a free inside height. demand to transport automobiles which are positioned obliquely when loaded in the car or sometimes are positioned one above another or double-decked, as it is called. Such cars with great inside free height are also used to transport large pleasure automobiles and automotive trucks and busses,

motive lire apparatus. the wings removed) is ported in such cars.

as well as auto- The aeroplane (with also frequently trans- The railroad companies are building new equipment with the'des demand and it is not e that it has become nec free inside height of equipment.

ired free inside height to meet the conomical to do so, so essary to increase the some ofthe existing The objectof my invention is to provide a method of increasing stalling or end plate and below the roof and the plate the free inside heightof a railway house car which consists of 1n.

an extension above the present side the roof and securing to such extension an preferably stiening such extension to enable i the car in service.

A further object is to to resist the weaving, other stresses caused by the torsional and movements of arrange the extension so as to provide a'waterproofv construction between the extension and the side plate and/or between the ext Vhen. such cars are used ension' and the roof.

to transport small automobiles the ordinary standard height of the ydoor opening is sufficient but the standard width of door opening (which according to the A. R. is six feet) is not suficient to pering and shippers mit the loading of automobiles without moving them backward and forward several times, therefore, when a standard box car is chan-ged intoan automobile car, it is also desirable and almost necessary to increase the `5n width of the door opening from six feet to ten feet, or even to twelve feet, as such cars are also likely to be used to transport automotive fire apparatus, trucks, etc. l

It is also desirable to increase theheight of 5r, the door opening to accommodate automotive trucks, hearses and other high ladings, such as machinery, furniture, etc. Furthermore, acar having a high inside free height is supposed to have a high and wide door open- 6o would dierentiate against a car not so formed.

. Another object of the invention is to increase the free inside height of a railway car and also to increase the free height of the door opening and to provide a sti'ening means or` frame for the door opening which is attached tosome of the original frame members of the car and extended and attached to the means for increasing the free inside height of the car. g

In the drawings;

Fig. 1 shows a partial end elevation of a box car with my improvement applied thereon. y

' Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation ot' Fig. 1.

Fig. 3'is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 1. 8U

Fig. 5 isa cross section through the side plate, roof and extension of the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive.

Figs. 6 to 16 inclusive show modified constructions of the extension.

Fig. 17 is a perspective showing the relation of the extension to the side plate, roof, door post and door post stiffener.4

Fig; 18 is a cross section ofthe carline of the roof shown in Fig. 16.

Fig. 19 is a perspective showing the extension and its stiffeners.

Figs. 1 to -5 inclusive show a typical application of my invention to a railway box car having a wooden side plate 2. The extension is positioned between the side plate (end plate, or other horizontal frame member of the car) and the roof and comprises acontinuous wall 3 extending between the opposite ends of the car, or when applied to the end wall of the car between the opposite side walls of the car. This extension is provided with means resting upon the top of the side 'v venting the extension from plate and preferably secured to the side plate. These means may comprise a separate element 4, as shown in Figs. 7 and 9, or they may be formed with a lateral offset 5 resting upon the side plate, as shown in Fig. 5. Vhen separate means are used a vertical bolt 6 may be used through the side plate. The lower portion of the wall preferably overlaps the side plate and also preferably overlaps the side sheathing 7 for waterproofing. This lower portion preferably comprises a depending flange 8 which accommodates a. horizontal bolt 9 for attachment to the side plate.

I preferably provide an element 10 (as shown in Figs. 5 to 16 inclusive) for attaching the wall or extension to the inside of the side plate, which element may extend continuously from end to end of the car or comprise a plurality of spaced apart straps. This element (or elements) may be provided with means resting upon the frame member which preferably is provided by forming a lateral offset (11) in the element, as shown for instance, in Fig. 10. This element aids in preslipping bodily laterally off of the side plate.

When it is desired to increase the inside s height ofthe car a relatively small amount 'a single wall plate will suflice, but when it is desired to increase the inside height a .relatively large amount, I preferably provide two wall plates positioned so that they are further apart adjacent the side plate than k adjacent the roof so as to provide greaterl resistance to the shifting tendencies of the roof and lateral weaving of the car. It may be desirable, however, to use a single wall plate and provide a plurality of spaced apart straps or braces which are secured to the side vplate adjacent its inner portion and which extend and are secured to the wall of the extension adjacent the roof of the car. Such constructions are shown in Figs. 7 to 11 inclusive.

shown in Fig. l

12. The inner wall or strap 4elements 10 are then preferably secured at their upper ends to this stiffener.

Figs. 12 and 13 illustrate a construction wherein the outer wall 20 has a lateral, portion 21 resting on the side plate 2 and a depending flange 22 side wall of the car and secured to the side plate. The elements 23 are secured to the inside of the side plate and extend to adjacent the roof ,where they are attached to the upper stiffener 17. Lower s'tiffeners 24 are provided which are secured to the wall 20 and the element 23 and rest upon the side plate to which it issecured by bolt 25. This arrangement forms a very rigid construction to accommodate the stresses caused by the car in service.

Figs. 14 to 16 inclusive show a construction comprising an outer wall' 30 having a lateral flange 3l resting upon the side plate 2 and a depending flange secured to the side plate. This wall has an outwardly extending upper flange 32 secured to the roof of the car. The form of roof illustrated comprises a carline 33 having overlapping roof sheets 34 and 35 secured together adjacent the carline. The inner element 10 is secured to the inside of the side plate and extended and is secured directly to the carline. The stifl'ener 36 is provided between the side wall and the element to secure cooperation therebetween to resist service stresses of the car.

overlapping the original In the constructionV shown in Fig. 5 the lateral offset 5 is of greater width than the upper flange 32 which is secured to the roof so that the width of the car at the depending flange 8 is greater than the width of the car over the eaves 37 of the roof which not only reduces the Weight and cost of the roof but also provides greater tunnel clearances for the car. This advantage may also be accomplished by sloping the wall, as shown in Fig. 9.

The extension is preferably provided with vnee braces 40-41 between the wall 3 and the lateral offset 5 and/or between the wall 3 and the roof flange 32. These knee braces are preferably formed integrally with the extension, as shown in Fig. 19. j

When it is desired to increase the height of the door opening the side plate is removed between the opposite door post and the extension is partially cut away to the desired height of the door opening, as shown in Fig. 17. A door hood 50 is secured to the wall of the extension below the roof flange 32 and projects outwardly over the door opening and is extended longitudinally to cover the door either in lits open or closed position. This hood is provided with a depending flange 51 to form a door guide.

Y its upper margin, and a provided which in combination with the depending iange of the .hood forms a groove or guideway for the door. The filler 54 closes the opening between the bottom of the hood (or its support) and the upper part of' the side plate. The side wall is reinforced by providing a preferably angular stiiiening member 55 adjacent each door post which is secured thereto and extends upwardly to the underside of the hood and connected thereto by means of the filler 54 or other means. A door header 56 or stiffener extends the full width of the door-opening and is secured to the eX- tension above said door opening and is also preferably secured directly or indirectly to the upper ends of the door post stiieners 55. The door post and this header then constitute a frame or the door opening and materially strengthens the side wall of the car. If desired, the door post sti'eners and the header may be formed of an integral member such as an angle bent in the form of an inverted U.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred form of the invention, though it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof within the scope of the claims will occur the art.

I claim:

1. In a railway car, the combination of an extension between a horizontal frame member and the root, said extension comprising a continuous wall provided with means resting upon the frame member and secured thereto, said wall secured to the roof adjacent knee brace between the wall and said means.

2. In a railway car, the combination of an extension between a horizontal' frame member and the roof, said extension comprising a continuous obliquely positioned wall provided with means resting upon the frame member and secured thereto, said wall provided with an outwardly projecting lateral flange to which the roof is attached,the overall width of the roof being less than the width of the car at the trame members.

3. In a railway car, the combination of an extension between a horizontal frame member and the roof, said extension comprising a continuous obliquel positioned wall Jformed with a lateral o set resting upon the frame member and secured thereto, said wall with an outwardly projectino` lateral flange to which the roof is attached, the overall width of the roof being less than the widtliof the car at the frame members.

4. In a railway car, the combination of an extension between a horizontal frame member and the roof, said extension comprising a continuous wall provided with means resting upon the frame member and secured thereto, said wall secured to the roof adjacent its upcent its upper mar to persons skilledgin plate secured to the inside rame member and secured to said per mar `n, and a of the wall. y

5. In a railway car the combination of an extension between a horizontal frame member and the roof, said extension comprising a continuous wall .provlded with means restf ing upon the frame member and secured thereto, said wall secured to the roof adjacent its upper margin, and a plate securedto the inside of the frame member and secured to said wall adjacent the roof ofthe car.

6. In arailway car, the combination of an extension between a horizontal frame member and the roof, said extension comprising a continuous wall provided with means resting upon the frame member and secured thereto, said wall secured to the roof adjagin, and an obliquely positioned plate provided with means resting upon the frame member and secured thereto, said plate being secured to said wall adjacent the roof of the car, said walland said plate being positioned further apart adjacent the frame member than adjacent the roof.

7 In a railway car, the combination of an extension between a horizontal frame member and the roof, said extension comprising a continuous wall provided with means resting upon the frame member and secured thereto, said wall secured to the roof adjacent its upper margin, and a continuous obliquely positioned plate provided with means restingl upon the frame member and secured thereto, said plate being secured to said wall adjacent the roof of the car, said wall and said plateI being positioned further apart adjacent the frame member than adjacent the roo 8. In a railway car, the combination of an extension between a horizontal frame member and the roof, said extension comprising a continuous wall provided with means resting upon the frame member and secured thereto, said wall secured to the roof adjacent its upper margin, and a plate formed with a lateral offset resting upon the frame member and secured thereto, said plate being secured to said wall adjacent the roof of the car.

9. In arailway car, the combination of an extension between a horizontal'frame member and the roof, said extension comprising a continuous wall provided withl means resting upon the frame member and secured thereto, said wall secured to the roof adjacent its upper margin, and a plate secured to the inside of the frame member at its lower margin and to the carline of the roof at its upper margin. l

10. In a railway car having side plates, roof and door posts on opposite sides of a door opening, the method of increasing the inside height of the car and the inside height of the door opening consisting of installing an extension between each side plate and the roof of the car and of removing the side plates between the opposite door posts and 5 installing a door post stiiener adjacent each door post, the portion of the extension between. the door opening and the end of the car formed with a lateral offset resting upon the side plate and secured thereto, the portion of said extension over the door opening having a lateral offset positioned adjacent the roof of the car.

WALTER P. IMURPHY. 

